Del. Sarah Wolek

Maddy summaryHB 386 modifies Maryland's funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) by requiring the Governor to withhold 35% of annual grants under specific conditions. It directly affects WMATA and Maryland's budget process, mandating that the Governor withhold funds if WMATA fails to submit required reports (like safety assessments and financial data) or if it doesn't develop a rail signaling workforce transition plan by July 2028. The bill also requires WMATA to provide detailed annual reports on safety, ridership, finances, and capital investments to trigger full funding. If WMATA receives a modified audit opinion without a corrective plan, or misses the workforce plan deadline, the Governor must withhold the funds until these conditions are met.

Maddy summaryHB 1143 bans the use of the "lung float test" (a hydrostatic lung test) during perinatal autopsies in Maryland. It directly affects the Chief Medical Examiner, deputy examiners, assistant examiners, and authorized pathologists when determining if a death was a stillbirth or occurred after a live birth. The bill prohibits this specific test method and allows parents, guardians, or legal representatives to file a civil lawsuit if the test is used unlawfully. Violations also become grounds for disciplinary action against medical examiners.

Maddy summaryHB 543 allows landlords to charge up to two months' rent as a security deposit if a tenant operates a family child care home (defined as caring for up to eight children in a residence). It prohibits landlords from unreasonably restricting or banning such homes on single-family rental properties and shields landlords from civil liability related to the child care operation. Tenants must provide written notice 60 days before starting, share their child care registration, and supply insurance naming the landlord and property owners as additional insureds. The bill also requires tenants to notify landlords immediately if they stop operating the home and permits landlords to mandate $1 million liability insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 538, the Informed Enrollment Act, requires Maryland colleges and universities that admit first-time undergraduate students to provide prospective and current students with clear, standardized information about costs, graduation rates, post-graduation salaries, and debt outcomes. Starting July 1, 2027, institutions must prominently display a link to the federal U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard on their public websites, accompanied by a plain-language explanation of the data it offers. They must also share this link and explanation during student orientation, in recruitment materials, on social media at least once per semester, and on campus career center websites. The law automatically terminates if the federal College Scorecard resource is discontinued, ensuring it only applies while the federal data remains available.

Maddy summaryHB 1293 requires behavioral health programs (like mental health or substance abuse treatment facilities) operating inpatient facilities to verify if residents are required to register under Maryland’s sex offender registry. Specifically, facilities must ask residents directly about registration status and confirm if they are listed on the registry. If a resident is required to register, facilities must help them comply by informing them of legal obligations, coordinating with authorities, and documenting these efforts. Non-compliance can result in fines up to $10,000 per violation or licensing penalties for repeated failures.

Maddy summaryHB 1468 requires hospitals in Maryland to create a written "safe discharge labor plan" before discharging or transferring any patient in active labor (defined as a pregnant person showing labor signs per medical standards). The plan must include clinical justification for the discharge, travel safety assessment, a plain-language explanation of risks and warning signs, and proof the patient understands the plan. Hospitals must maintain these records for 21 years, provide annual staff training on maternal care and patient communication, and prominently post patient rights in labor departments. The bill also mandates annual reports to the health department tracking discharge practices and any adverse outcomes following discharge.

Maddy summaryHB 1205 establishes a minimum wage of $25.00 per hour for non-certified, non-supervisory school support staff (such as aides, clerks, and cafeteria workers) beginning July 1, 2028. It requires all Maryland county school boards to pay these employees at least this rate, directly affecting over 20,000 education support professionals statewide. The bill also mandates the State Department of Education to submit a cost report by December 1, 2026, with detailed estimates broken down by school system to implement this wage change.

Maddy summaryHB 755 requires Maryland county school boards to create policies banning student use of personal electronic devices (like phones) during all school day hours, effective by the 2026-2027 school year. The policy must mandate students store devices securely and prohibits use except for documented needs in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan. Schools must also provide designated phones for students to contact parents or guardians during the school day. The law explicitly bars suspensions or expulsions solely for violating this device policy. This directly affects all public school students and school boards across Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1356, the Maryland Employee Civic Activity and Lawful Expression Protection Act, prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against employees for engaging in off-duty civic activities, political expression, or lawful online speech. It protects all employees - including interns, part-timers, and temporary workers - from retaliation such as termination, demotion, or denial of promotion for activities like protesting, volunteering, or sharing opinions online outside work hours. The law bans employers from coercing political contributions, forcing attendance at political events, or maintaining policies that restrict protected activities, with exceptions only for conduct that disrupts job duties or reveals trade secrets. Employees can pursue civil lawsuits for violations without exhausting administrative remedies first.

Maddy summaryHB 1488 proposes amending the Maryland Constitution to replace gendered terms like "man," "his," and "him" with gender-neutral language such as "person" and "their." It specifically targets multiple articles and sections across the Constitution (including the Declaration of Rights, Executive Department, and Judiciary Department) to update outdated terminology. The bill does not change substantive rights or policies but modernizes the language to be inclusive. This is a procedural constitutional amendment focused solely on terminology, not on altering legal obligations or government functions.